Christmas Book and a Giveaway

Every year I like reading Christmas themed books around Christmas. Something about it just really puts me in the Christmas spirit. This year Christmas seemed to sneak up on me just a bit and I only actually had time to read one Christmas book. I'm glad I choose the one I did because it was a serious winner.

First Impressions was my second Nora Roberts book. My first being another Christmas novel co-written with her daughter. This book tells the story of two adults looking to escape from all the craziness of city life by moving into a small, rural community near antietam battlefield in Maryland. One was a local woman, Shane, who had moved away to be a school teacher in the city and returned to open a quaint antique shop and museum. The other, Vance, was a man looking to get away from all the problems a man with money could encounter.

Part of the appeal of this novel was the fact that it was set in Maryland. I always find a book (or movie, or song, or whatever) more interesting if it's located somewhere that I've been. Maybe I just relate better to it or maybe it makes the little movie in my head a bit clearer. This book really made me want to make a trip out to Antietam for more than just a drive through.

I also really loved the push and pull between Shane and Vance. At points in the novel they were really truly appalled with each other and at other points it seemed like they were all over each other. Their tumultuous and Tom and Jerry type relationship kept me reading till the very end hoping they would end up together.

Another thing I found really appealing was Roberts' writing style. There was so much detail on every page that kept the story vivid and exciting for it's entirety. When I talk about descriptions I'm not just talking about descriptions of characters or scenery. I'm mainly talking about the vivid detail she put into the characters' feelings and emotion. I felt things I had never felt before vicariously through these characters.

Overall this book was a good choice for my Christmas novel this year. It almost made me wish I was up in the mountains with a warm fire and snow falling around me to set the scene.

I can't wait to start my next Nora Roberts novel. If you have a suggestion feel free to let me know!

Now for the contest. I'm giving away my copy of First Impressions to one lucky Tune Into L Reader. The contest will run now through January 3rd. This contest is open to anyone in the US (Sorry people outside the US, I'm poor and can't afford the shipping. However, if you are from outside the US and want to enter, you may, but you will have to pay for shipping).

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